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Mallinder upbeat despite defeat

Mon, Jan 21, 2013, 00:00

Glasgow 27 Northampton 20:Head coach Jim Mallinder conceded Northampton did not deserve to progress to the knockout stage of the Heineken Cup after their campaign was ended with defeat at Glasgow on Saturday.

Saints needed a bonus-point victory to have any chance of going through but Peter Horne’s last-gasp try instead condemned them to a 27-20 reverse.

Victory was the Warriors’ first in the competition this season and left Mallinder to reflect on a campaign that never truly got off the ground.

“We showed that when we want to we can get performances; the win at Ulster away – the only visiting team to win at Ravenhill this season – was magnificent for us,” he said.

“But to win these competitions you need to be more consistent. We won three games and lost three games and that isn’t good enough.”

Northampton had threatened to get the points they needed when Ben Foden crossed over late on for their third try to make it 20-20.

But Horne snatched their hope away when he ran the length of the field. Northampton will now turn their attentions back to the Premiership, where they stand fifth in the table and Mallinder believes they have reason to believe they can push up the table.

Glasgow began the day knowing they could not progress but head coach Gregor Townsend, who was up against his former club, was at least able to get a win to exit the competition on.

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